Talk about a real-life survival story. Berks County Commissioners' Chairman Mark C. Scott nearly drowned during heavy rains on his rural fish farm in Douglass Township. The Republican, who is seeking re-election this November, suffered serious injuries and will spend months recovering, but he made it out alive.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

After sitting on their hands for eight years under Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell and watching 200,000 jobs disappear, Pennsylvania Senate Dems say they have a plan to create 80,000 "shovel-ready" new jobs.

If the Tea Party is "racist" as liberals will have you believe, how come Herman Cain has emerged as the favorite GOP candidate among Tea Party members? Last time I checked, Mr. Cain was black. File this under liberal hypocrisy.

Despite the explosive growth of the Internet and the popularity of portable electronic devices, newspapers remain the most trusted source and most popular source for local news, according to a new Pew survey.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Douglas MacKinnon warns conservatives what happens when they compromise on a political candidate. (Hint: Someone like Barack Obama is elected president)

From his column in Investor's Business Daily:

Leaving aside the televised, overly scripted, predictable and marginally useful "debates" now taking place between the Republican candidates for president, there are much more important discussions going on between conservatives and independents who are unified in their belief that for the good of the nation, Barack Obama must be defeated.

Those discussions — taking place across kitchen tables, in lunchrooms, or in neighborhood bars after a week of hard work — are trying to determine which path to follow in the approaching political fork in the road.

One of those paths will most likely lead to the defeat of Mr. Obama. The other could very well ensure his re-election.

It is critical for Republicans, conservatives, and independents to remember that from the 2008 GOP field, John McCain had the stamp of approval from the mainstream media.

In fact, the liberal media worked overtime to resurrect his then all but comatose campaign. Why?

That same liberal media told us that independents and a good number of Democrats just loved McCain.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Notorious bank robber Willie Sutton once was asked, "Why do you rob banks?"

He had a straight-forward answer: "Because that's where the money is."

Fast-forward to 2011 and you could ask your favorite public servant, "Why do you run for office?"

The answer? "Because that's where the money is."

USA Today has published a scathing look at how politicians milk the system to collect millions in pensions.

In many cases, the politicians have qualified for benefits at the state level while moving on to higher office at the federal level, where they will once again reap the financial rewards of "public service."

From USA Today:

More than 4,100 legislators in 33 states are positioned to benefit from special retirement laws that they and their predecessors have enacted to boost their pensions by up to $100,000 a year, a USA TODAY investigation found. Even as legislators cut basic state services and slash benefits for police, teachers and other workers, they have preserved pension laws that grant themselves perks unavailable to voters they serve or workers they direct.

Pennsylvania politicians are among the worst offenders, according to the investigation.

From USA Today:

Since 1996, 67 retired Pennsylvania legislators have collected $7 million in pension checks that they could not have received if they' had the same retirement age as most state workers, USA TODAY found. Another 40 who took early retirement also benefited from the younger retirement age.

Lowman Henry has a Newsmaker interview with State Rep. Curt Schroder of Chester County on reforming the state's casino gaming system; Joe Geiger of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations has Bets McManus of Leadership Cumberland in the Nonprofit Spotlight; And, Scott Paterno has an Uncomfortable Truthcommentary on the role of money and consultants in political campaigns.

Lowman Henry talks with Andrew Moylan of the National Taxpayers Union about how NTU found common ground with the Left on proposed federal budget cuts; Andy Roth of the Club for Growth has th eReal Story on skirmishes in congress as the federal budget deadline looms; Adam Tragone of Human Events has an Off The Cuff talk with Kate O'Hare, blogger for the Los Angeles Times about the recent California state Republican Party convention; And, Col. Frank Ryan, USMC (Ret.) takes on Warren Buffet and taxes on his American Radio Journal commentary.

OLEY – State Rep. David Maloney (R-Berks) will host a Sportsmen's Expo on Thursday, Oct. 6, from 3 to 8 p.m., at the Oley Valley Community Fairgrounds, 26 Jefferson St., Oley.

"Fall is a great time of year for our sportsmen and women," Maloney said in a press release announcing the event. "I'm excited to get to spend time talking to people from the district about fishing, hunting, camping, hiking. All the great opportunities we have here locally and all across Pennsylvania to enjoy the outdoors. We would like people to come to check the vendors and exhibitors to see the 'latest and greatest' for the coming season."

Approximately 35 outdoors-related vendors will be on hand representing many local businesses, as will the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Fish and Boat Commission. There will be live demonstrations, video presentations, door prizes and giveaways.

"Part of our goal with this sportsmen's expo is to reach out to our youth," added Maloney. "I have a great interest in youth hunting and mentoring programs and I hope to convey the importance of outdoor conservation, the family traditions of time spent in the field and Pennsylvania’s rich heritage."

Admission is free. For more information, please contact Maloney's district offices in Boyertown at (610) 369-3010 or Douglassville at 610-385-0704.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Last week, some 500 residents showed up at a public forum to express their opposition to plans to toll Route 422 in Southeastern Pennsylvania. A half-dozen Republican state lawmakers have also stated publicly they will oppose the tolling plan. Now, a Democrat has joined the opposition.

Pennsylvania State Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19th Dist., has some concerns about a proposal to toll Route 422 in Montgomery County:

From an op-ed published in The Pottstown Mercury:

Pennsylvanians have a right to an honest, open debate on the issue. Unfortunately, such honesty and openness is questioned when the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission refuses to share information and then gives two conflicting answers as to why. Whether one is for or against the tolling proposal — and I am opposed to it — access to information is crucial to any public-policy debate.

Just in time for Halloween, Hauntdworld.com has released its 2011 list of the Top 13 Best Haunted Attractions in the United States.

And topping the list? A pair of haunted attractions in suburban Philadelphia: The Bates Motel and Pennhurst Asylum, both operated by the same company.

Here's what Hauntdworld.com has to say about the best haunts in the U.S.:

1. Bates Motel & Haunted Hayride and Pennhurst Asylum Haunted Attraction in Philadelphia, PA Pennsylvania: The Bates Motel Haunted House & Hayride is a unique haunted attraction for several reasons: The Haunted Hayride is located deep in a 200-year-old forest full of overgrown trees creating the ultimate dark trail even during a full moon. This puts customers on edge even before ever entering the first hayride scene. Combined with a digital custom soundtrack, pyrotechnics and continuous scares throughout the ride, this hayride attraction is sure to create the ultimate haunting experience of your life! To read a more detailed article about this attraction, visit their website at www.TheBatesMotel.com. Additionally, The Pennhurst Asylum is one of the scariest haunted attraction sites in the world, mostly due to the setting of this haunt. It's located in a 100-year-old, abandoned mental institute. The building itself will instill real fear and true horror in anyone. The Asylum has been investigated by professional ghost hunters and featured on Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters several times. This attraction is truly haunted. To read a more detailed article about this real haunted house visit their website at www.PennhurstAsylum.com. Bates Motel and Pennhurst Asylum are owned and operated by the same company and are within a short drive of each other. These have to be number one on our list for locations to get scared this Halloween.

The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles will participate in Smithsonian magazine's annual Museum Day on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011.

A nationwide event, Museum Day is intended to encourage people to visit their local museums. Admission to participating museums is free with an official Museum Day ticket. Tickets are available via Smithsonian magazine’s website at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/. Tickets are good for two visitors to one participating museum.

The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is closed on Mondays.

The museum, located at 85 S. Walnut St. in Boyertown, preserves the transportation history of Southeastern Pennsylvania and displays more than 80 locally manufactured cars, trucks, carriages, motorcycles, sleighs, and other types of vehicles. Admission rates are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and AAA members, $4 for students, and children under 5 years old enter free.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Pennsylvania lawmakers and Gov. Tom Corbett want to change how Pennsylvania awards its delegates to presidential candidates. Republicans say it's a more fair way to pick a president and would give a greater voice to rural voters. Democrats say the plan is intended to erase their strongholds in major cities.

Check out this interesting analysis at National Journal on how the 2008 presidential race would have been different if all states changed the way they award delegates.

This video of Democrat Josh Shapiro dodging a question about taxes and spending doesn't exactly instill confidence in the Democratic ticket for Montgomery County commissioner. And is his running mate allowed to speak?

The media, which is supposed to be a watchdog for government corruption, instead has turned into a lapdog for Barack Obama, helping his administration cover-up on of the biggest scandals in U.S. history.

George F. Will on Obama's unwillingness to admit his polices have been a complete failure:

For two years, there has been one constant: As events have refuted the Obama administration's certitudes, it has retained its insufferable knowingness. It knew that the stimulus would hold unemployment below 8 percent. Oops. Unemployment has been at least 9 percent in 26 of the 30 months since the stimulus was passed. Michael Boskin of Stanford says that even if one charitably accepts the administration's self-serving estimate of jobs "created or saved" by the stimulus, each job cost $280,000 — five times America's median pay.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Columnist John Kass is not surprised by the latest scandal enveloping the Obama White House:

The Solyndra scandal cost at least a half-billion public dollars. It is plaguing President Barack Obama. And it's being billed as a Washington story.

But back in Obama's political hometown, those of us familiar with the Chicago Way can see something else in Solyndra — something that the Washington crowd calls "optics." In fact, it's not just a Washington saga — it has all the elements of a Chicago City Hall story, except with more zeros.

Let me see if I get this straight. The federal government takes money out of your paycheck each week, promises to keep it safe in a "lock box" until you're ready to retire, but this Democrat says there's no guarantee you'll ever see that money. Sure sounds like a Ponzi Scheme to me. And Democrats keep pretending that Republicans are the ones who want to cut Social Security. The Democrats have already raided the "lock box." There's nothing there.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Pennsylvania Republicans are looking for a viable candidate to challenge liberal Bob Casey Jr. for one of the state's two U.S. Senate seats in 2012.

Casey has made no impact in Washington over the past five years and his blind obedience to the failed Barack Obama-Harry Reid agenda could be costly with voters who are fed up with incompetence in D.C.

While political newcomers David Christian and Steve Welch want to take on Casey, GOP officials would rather see one of two Southeastern Pennsylvania House members enter the Senate race.

Republican moderates Jim Gerlach and Charlie Dent are proven vote-getters and could pose a serious problem for Casey. Even first-term House member Patrick Meehan, a former U.S. Attorney, could knock off Casey, whose entire political career has been based on his father's name and his unwillingness to take a position on any important issues.

One man - Sen. Harry Reid - is preventing the opening of a safe place to deposit the nation's nuclear waste. Reid's arrogance has cost taxpayers billions of dollars and has raised safety issues because spent fuel rods are being stored in populated areas instead of the underground depository in Nevada. A Republican majority in the Senate would end Reid's tyranny.

Barack Obama won Pennsylvania in 2008 because he won the City of Philadelphia, which is not representative of the rest of the state. Pennsylvania Republicans have come up with a reform plan to more accurate reflect the wishes of Pennsylvania voters. Under the plan, Obama would have received about half the electoral votes he won in 2008.

Gov. Tom Corbett has signed his 8th execution warrant since taking office in January, but death penalty advocates know it's a waste of time. No death row inmate has been executed in Pennsylvania since 1999.

The acclaimed documentary film 'Waiting for 'Superman' will be shown for free on Sunday, Sept. 25, at Albright College in Reading, PA, followed by a panel discussion on the American education system.

The film begins at 5:15 p.m. in Klein Lecture Hall, followed by the panel discussion at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The panel will be Louis Shucker, an attorney in private practice and a school board member, and Thomas Beveridge, a retired elementary principal from Pottsville, Pa., who supports charter schools. Joseph Yarworth, Ph.D., chair and assistant professor of education at Albright, will serve as moderator.

Interesting post over at Bernie Goldberg's website about a new trend in liberal media bias: Far left new organizations finding the absolute worst photo they can of Republicans and printing or posting them.

Investor's Business Daily on the repudiation of Barack Obama's presidency by voters in New York and Nevada in special elections held Tuesday:

Rebellion: The safest of Democratic congressional seats in the citadel of liberalism has gone conservative Republican. But it just continues the remarkable trend that began when voters realized the mistake they made in 2008.

Republicans won two Congressional seats in special elections Tuesday that were billed as referendums on Barack Obama's failed presidency. Not a good sign for Democrats as they continue to follow Obama over a cliff.

The big blow to the Democrats was the loss of the New York Congressional seat held by former Rep. Anthony Weiner, which had been in Democratic hands since 1922.

There is not a Republican lawmaker in Berks, Chester or Montgomery counties who will support tolling of Route 422. And since Republicans control both houses of the Pennsylvania Legislature, I can't see this plan moving forward.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

A federal judge in Pennsylvania is the latest to strike down the key provision in the Obamacare bill forcing citizens to purchase health insurance.

From Judge Christopher C. Conner's ruling:

"The nation undoubtably faces a health care crisis. Scores of individuals are uninsured and the costs to all citizens are measurable and significant. The federal government, however, is one of limited enumerated powers, and Congress's efforts to remedy the ailing health care and health insurance markets must fit squarely within the boundaries of those powers."

An event designed to recognize first responders in Berks and Montgomery counties has been rescheduled because so many first responders are busy helping with flood conditions in the region.

HonorFest 2011 was scheduled to take place today at First Energy Stadium in Reading, but with so many police, firefighters and ambulance crews assisting victims of this week's flooding, the organizers decided to move the event to Saturday, Oct. 1.

Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Why do school board members elected to represent taxpayers hand over hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to overpaid school officials so they would leave? Where is the accountability?

From an article by Christina A. Samuels in Education Week:

Arlene Ackerman's $905,000 settlement with the Philadelphia district grabbed headlines, but she isn't the only Pennsylvania superintendent who has been shown the door in recent months with a generous settlement in hand.

According to media reports, William Hall, who led the 3,050-student Gettysburg district, left in February with $542,000. That included two years of salary and forgiving the mortgage on his house, which he had bought from the district's vocational education program. In August, Gerald Zahorchak, Pennsylvania's former secretary of education, was bought out a year into his five-year contract to lead the 17,700-student Allentown district. He will be paid a year's salary of $195,000 and a $55,000 lump sum.

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Even the liberal media that worked so hard to get Barack Obama elected in 2008 can't sugarcoat his disastrous presidency any more.

From The Washington Post:

Public pessimism about the direction of the country has jumped to its highest level in nearly three years, erasing the sense of hope that followed President Obama's inauguration and pushing his approval ratings to a record low, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

More than 60 percent of those surveyed say they disapprove of the way the president is handling the economy and, what has become issue No. 1, the stagnant jobs situation. Just 43 percent now approve of the job he is doing overall, a new career low; 53 percent disapprove, a new high.

If you're planning to skip Obama's "jobs" speech on Thursday, here's a quick recap: He will say it's not his fault that the U.S. is saddled with record unemployment even thought Congress passed every piece of legislation he sent during his first two years in office. So now it's the Republicans in the House who are to blame for his failed policies.

Monday, September 05, 2011

The federal government on Friday reported that fewer jobs were added to the American economy in August than in any month since World War II. Although economists had predicted that 75,000 jobs would be created in August, it turns out the net job gain was exactly zero.

Labor Day has always been associated with Big Labor, and thus, with the political Left. But at its core, Labor Day is about celebrating the American worker. And, as the August job numbers showed once again, it is the American worker who has been hurt most by the Obama administration's jobs-killing, growth-stifling agenda.

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Why Politics Matter

“Politics, the crooked timber of our communal lives, dominates everything because, in the end, everything – high and low and, most especially, high – lives or dies by politics. You can have the most advanced and efflorescent of cultures. Get your politics wrong, however, and everything stands to be swept away. This is not ancient history. This is Germany 1933.” –– Charles Krauthammer

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About Me

Tony A. Phyrillas is a leading conservative columnist, commentator and blogger based in Pennsylvania.
A veteran newspaperman with 33 years experience as a reporter, editor, photographer and columnist, Phyrillas received a first place award in 2010 for best column from the Pennsylvania Associated Press Managing Editors and a first place award in 2007 for Best Opinion Column from Suburban Newspapers of America. He was recognized for column writing in 2007 by the Society of Professional Journalists, Keystone Chapter and in 2006 by the SPJ Greater Philadelphia Chapter.
Phyrillas is ranked among the most influential political bloggers in Pennsylvania by BlogNetNews.com.
Odyssey: The World of Greece magazine named Phyrillas one of the leading Greek-American bloggers in the world.
A Penn State University graduate, Phyrillas is the editor/content manager of The Mercury, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper in Pottstown, Pa.
Phyrillas made frequent appearances on talk radio and as a panelist on the "Journalists Roundtable" program on the Pennsylvania Cable Network.
He co-hosted a weekly radio program on WPAZ 1370 AM for 2 years.